Outlander Season 4 marked a lot of changes for Jamie and Claire as they moved to the American colonies. And with this new territory, came new faces to enter their story. With the fourth season hitting Netflix on Jan. 27, I wanted to reflect on the characters introduced in Outlander Season 4 — and see who's still standing to possibly be featured in Season 6.
Although there was an entire new continent of people for the Frasers to meet in Season 4, many Outlander characters from the American colonies have already met their cruel and not-so-cruel fates on the show. Villains Stephen Bonnet (Ed Speleers) and Gerald Forbes (Billy Boyd) both were killed in Season 5. Governor Tryon (Tim Downie) relocated to New York, most likely never to be seen by the Frasers again. Then, there are characters who left the show as quickly as they entered, like with the devastating death of Adawehi (Tantoo Cardinal) in Season 4.
Yet, there are others who have managed to survive the brutal world of Outlander and who could appear in Season 6. Using Diana Gabaldon's sixth book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes (ABOSAA), and production clues as my guide, let's examine the likelihood of these 11 characters viewers first met in Season 4 returning. Book spoilers ahead.
1. Aunt Jocasta
While viewers had heard about Jamie's aunt before Season 4, it wasn't until the episode "Do No Harm," that they (and Claire) got to meet Maria Doyle Kennedy's Jocasta at her North Carolina plantation of River Run. A big chunk of Doyle Kennedy's screentime has been devoted to her romance with Murtagh, which was made up for the TV series. But now that Murtagh is dead, what else is in store for Aunt Jocasta?
A notable storyline for her in ABOSAA has to do with the Frenchman's gold. It's unclear if Outlander is going to depict this book plot, especially since the Bugs have been very minor characters on the show. But Jocasta did discuss the gold in Season 5's "Better To Marry Than Burn," so this reference to the gold could be setting up for events to come in Season 6. The show could also go to River Run for Flora MacDonald's picnic.
There is the slight possibility that Doyle Kennedy won't even be in Season 6 because of how much Outlander has strayed from the books. But you'd think the show would have given her a more significant sendoff in Season 5 if she wouldn't be returning. (Plus, Doyle Kennedy participated in the Outlander Summer Series in September.) So even if Outlander doesn't depict her ABOSAA moments, the series has already established they don't mind going off-book to highlight Doyle Kennedy's talents — which means viewers should see Jamie's aunt again. With that being said, prepare for Season 6 to be Doyle Kennedy's last since Jocasta flees the colonies for Nova Scotia at the end of Book 6.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 4
2. Ulysses
Like Jocasta, the show has also been pretty loose when it comes to adapting the book storylines of her butler Ulysses. As depicted by Colin McFarlane, he is Jocasta's unwavering servant at River Run and though he's in ABOSAA, Season 5 might have closed the book on this character for good.
In the books, Ulysses did kill a man for Jocasta (Lieutenant Wolff in the books, Forbes on the show) and he had to temporarily flee. But Jocasta uses her influence and money to bring her butler back to her for Book 6. He's involved in the French gold storyline and it's also revealed that he has been Jocasta's lover for more than 20 years. With their affair exposed, Ulysses leaves for Virginia to join an army as a free man at the end of ABOSAA.
In "Journeycake," Ulysses alludes to his unrequited love for Jocasta — not that they've been having an affair. And after he has murdered Forbes, Jamie comes up with the plan to have Ulysses travel to England with Lord John Grey. Much of his scene in "Journeycake" with Claire and Jamie (which was written by Gabaldon) mirrors his last scene in ABOSAA. And as David Berry has indicated that he's most likely not in Season 6, there's not much reason to think that Ulysses will be in this upcoming season either... and since he's not in later books, it could mean the end of one of the few Black characters' storylines on Outlander.
Yet, there is a glimmer of hope (and I mean the faintest of glimmers) for Ulysses's return, thanks to McFarlane's comments on social media. When a fan on Twitter wrote they were hoping he'd appear next season, McFarlane replied, "Where will that ship with Ulysses and Lord John take their lives next? I too am keen to know how their journey will end!" ("Keen" is an understatement when it comes to most Outlander fans' interest in this storyline.)
However, in December, he retweeted the Outlander account's Christmas message and wrote, "Ooh! Nice to hear that #Outlander season 6 is finally getting underway." Since his tweet indicates surprise that production was getting closer to starting, it doesn't seem like he's involved this season. But, if you're like me, I'm still crossing my fingers that Lord John, William, and Ulysses could pop up back in America during the Season 6 finale.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 2
3. Phaedre
Phaedre was a Black slave at the River Run plantation who helped Brianna deliver Jemmy. Yet, while Jocasta's "body servant" was in The Fiery Cross and ABOSAA, Natalie Simpson's character was notably absent from Season 5. And considering how much Season 5 pulled from Book 6 in terms of the Stephen Bonnet storyline, it doesn't seem likely she'll return.
In ABOSAA, Phaedre goes mysteriously missing from River Run. But when Bonnet kidnaps Brianna, Bree discovers that Phaedre is working at Bonnet's home. Phaedre explains that Ulysses discovered that she was sleeping with Jocasta's husband Duncan Innes. During the confrontation, Phaedre threatened to tell Duncan about Ulysses's affair with Jocasta, so Ulysses sent her away from River Run. Jamie and Claire bring Phaedre to Fraser's Ridge and Jamie subsequently frees her. She also appears in An Echo in the Bone as she's working in Wilmington. But with Bonnet dead and Ulysses in England, there seems to be no reason to bring back Phaedre.
While Phaedre's storyline would have been a complicated one to tell — as she was the daughter of Jocasta's former husband Hector and sleeping with her master Duncan — it would have highlighted the sexual abuse white slave owners perpetrated on their Black female slaves. It also was an opportunity for Outlander to showcase people of color during this time period. In an interview with Vanity Fair, showrunner Matthew B. Roberts indicated that Simpson hadn't been available to film Season 5. And "Mercy Shall Follow Me" writer Megan Ferrell Burke noted in the annotated script (via Blacklanderz) that the Bonnet storyline had to be simplified. Still, it's disappointing to know that more of Phaedre's story will never be seen on screen.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 1
4. Lizzie
Lizzie entered the scene as the young woman that Brianna offered to take on as a servant as she set sail from Scotland to America to save Lizzie from the fate of becoming a "concubine." Lizzie very unintentionally caused some issues for Brianna when she falsely accused Roger of being the man who raped Bree. But that was all water under the bridge in Season 5 and now Lizzie is a full-fledged member of the community at Fraser's Ridge.
Caitlin O'Ryan's character is guaranteed to be in Season 6 with executive producer Maril Davis teasing that Lizzie has a "great story" in the new season during the Outlander PaleyFest panel. That great story most likely has to be none other than her marriage to both Kezzie and Jo Beardsley. So Lizzie and her unconventional love story should be coming to a TV screen near you.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 5
5. George Washington
While Jamie wasn't nearly as excited as Claire was, the Frasers got to meet the George Washington at the theater in "Wilmington." But the future first president didn't appear in the books until Book 8, so does that mean the show was setting up to feature Washington again sooner?
On The Official Outlander Podcast, executive producer and writer Toni Graphia and episode writer Luke Schelhaas didn't mention what their future plans for Washington are. But since the Season 5 finale teased the impending Revolutionary War and Sam Heughan talked to Parade.com about pulling history from other books beyond ABOSAA for Season 6, I'm thinking Simon Harrison could return... even though Washington isn't in Book 6. But with no more seasons of Outlander guaranteed, I won't complain if the show gets going with the American Revolution.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 3
6. John Quincy Myers
Jocasta's "man of the wild" pal John Quincy Myers is a big help to the Frasers as they settle in the wilderness of North Carolina.
While John Quincy Myers isn't in ABOSAA, Outlander has already expanded Kyle Rees's role on the show. Unlike his book counterpart in The Fiery Cross, he fought with Jamie against the regulators. And John was there to help save Claire from Lionel Brown's gang in the Season 5 finale — something that occurred in ABOSAA. Because of his elevated importance on the show and because viewers already have an attachment to this character, John will probably pop back up on Fraser's Ridge in Season 6 and perhaps fill in for some other book characters that won't make the cut.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 4
7. Otter Tooth
Claire met the ghost of the time traveler Ta'wineonawira (Otter Tooth) when she was lost in the woods in "The False Bride." She then learned from the Mohawk in "Man of Worth" that he had come to their tribe to warn them of the destruction that white people would cause.
Since he was killed by the Mohawk, Otter Tooth isn't someone that Jamie and Claire will interact with. But thanks to the Season 5 finale, viewers know that Otter Tooth didn't travel alone. Wendigo Donner was a part of Robert Springer's (as he was known in the 1960s) group of Native Americans who came to the past.
As Wendigo is the reason the fire at Fraser's Ridge begins, Brennan Martin should be reprising that role. And perhaps that could mean a flashback/flashforward to Wendigo and Trevor Carroll's Robert in the 1960s. Even if Outlander doesn't show Otter Tooth again, his character's past actions will still have a massive impact on the show in Season 6.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 2
8. Kaheroton or Chief Tehwahsehkwe
Chief Tehwahsehkwe was the leader of the Mohawk in New York that Roger was taken to and who accepted the trade of Young Ian for Roger. Kaheroton was a member of the tribe who was in love with Johiehon, the woman who threw herself on the pyre with Father Alexandre.
These characters aren't directly from the books, but I'm going to argue that there's a slight chance that they could make a comeback. Season 6 will address what happened to Young Ian and his wife when he was living with the Mohawk, so it makes sense that some of the characters that the audience met in Season 4 would return — most notably, the chief (Tom Jackson) and Kaheroton (Braeden Clarke). This might be a stretch, but perhaps Kaheroton could even stand-in for the role of Ahkote'ohskennonton ("Sun Elk")? Admittedly, with COVID-19 restrictions, it might be more difficult to get these actors back just for a flashback, but it could be a nice tie-in to show familiar faces in the Mohawk tribe.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 1
9. Jemmy
Jemmy may have only been a newborn baby without a name yet in Season 4, but Brianna and Roger's son only grows in importance to the story as he grows up.
As Season 5 showed, Jemmy MacKenzie is able to time travel like his parents. And in ABOSAA, he successfully time travels with his family back to Bree and Roger's time in the 20th century. He also bonds with his grandparents more before he leaves them for the future and viewers should also learn who his biological father is, so there are exciting plots for this wee member of the family in Season 6.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 5
10. Morag MacKenzie
Roger encountered his ancestors Morag MacKenzie and her baby son Jeremiah while working on the Gloriana. He saved the child from being thrown overboard by the Gloriana's captain, Stephen Bonnet.
Morag already appeared in Season 5 and it's unlikely that Elysia Welch would return in Season 6 since she's not in ABOSAA. But Morag's husband — the delightful, not-jealous-at-all William Buccleigh "Buck" MacKenzie — is a big deal come Book 7. Buck turns up on Roger's doorstep in 1980, explaining that he, Morag, and his Jeremiah had come back to Scotland when he fell through the stones at Craigh na Dun into the future. If Outlander wants to make the most of the return of Graham McTavish, the show could move this storyline up to Season 6. Although Morag might not be physically present, the repercussions from the kindness Roger paid to his ancestor in Season 4 could still be felt.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 1
11. John Gillette
When Roger gets to Wilmington in the past, he asks the proprietor of the Wilmington Gazette, John Gillette, if he's seen Brianna.
In the books, Jonathan Gillette isn't the proprietor of the Wilmington Gazette when Jamie and Claire's obituary after the fire is printing. (That would be Amos Crupp.) But as the second and final epilogue of ABOSAA shows how the incorrect obituary ended up in the paper, it could be great to bring back Edwin Flay in the role... especially as he wasn't that friendly to Roger or his employee, Fergus.
Chances of appearing (on a scale of 1-5): 2
Along with the possibility of these characters returning, there will be some new people to shake things up for Jamie and Claire on the Ridge in Season 6. Because no matter the time or the place, the Frasers always have plenty of company.
Read more...
Outlander Season 6 Clues Straight From The Showrunner's Notes
Diana Gabaldon Teases Outlander Season 6 & A Jamie Scene That's Not In The Books
Meet The 11 Book Characters Outlander May Introduce In Season 6
Images: Starz